Almost 22 weeks old already! 5-months is a turning point for me; it's, historically-speaking, when the fun really starts, and I am so ready for that for both of our sakes! We are definitely making strides with sleep, with eating, and with just having fun in general! You are growing so quickly and showing off more and more of that beautiful personality of yours, and I am loving hearing your giggles and watching you light up as you have fun with toys, see people you love, and learn to play more independently.
So what else have you been up to this month:
-More and more chatting and squealing... in fact, most people who are around you notice how talkative you are and how you have so much to say!
-You're rolling over belly to back - although only at bedtime! This is aggravating, but I know more rolling is on the way during play time soon. You extend your arms and push your whole body up - like a plank or on your knees. You are so very strong! You've even been seen "creeping" to your toys and moving all around a play mat.
-You are giggling more and more. You're quite ticklish.
-Like Quinn at your age, you love physical touch and attention. You want to be held, tickled, "wrestled" with... you love this kind of play!
-You started eating veggies last week. Your first vegetable was squash, then sweet potatoes, then carrots. Tonight, we are starting green beans!
-Some favorite toys include: Sophie, your exersaucer, the play gym (especially grabbing at the links hanging from them), and your big brothers! You still enjoy the swing, and you're beginning to be bored in the bouncer. You're also figuring out how to get yourself out of the Nap Nanny by arching your back and pushing with your feet - quite dangerous actually!
-SCHEDULE: You wake up around 6:30/6:45, have a 6 ounce bottle, eat some oatmeal (reluctantly usually, as you are not a big breakfast eater, much like Daddy and your brothers), stay up until around 8:30 (exactly when I need to leave to take your brothers to camp, unfortunately), nap for 45 minutes or another ridiculously and frustratingly short amount of time, then have another 5-6 ounce bottle around 10:30, stay up for about 2 hours and nap around 11:30. I try to wait to feed you a third bottle around 2:00, but your naps are so short and you often expect to eat earlier than I'd like. You take a third nap sometime after 3:00ish. You eat dinner between 5 and 6:00. We start bath around 7:00, and you go to sleep not long after starting your 4th bottle of the day. About 20-30 minutes later, you wake up to finish that bottle and sleep until 5:00ish when you start wrestling around. The past few days, you have put yourself back to sleep for 1-2 hours, but some times we have to re-pacy or hold you until you go back to sleep to make it until after 6:00 (a "reasonable" time for you to wake up at this age). Your naps are horrible, but I know that is to be expected at this age. We're working on lengthening them, but that's hard to do when you wake up feeling much more "awake" than in months prior and start playing instead of going back to sleep on your own.
-I'm excited to report we have stopped all night feedings! That started only a week or two ago, and it wasn't easy, but it was well worth the "fight."
-You're wearing size 6-9 and 9 month clothing. You've pretty much outgrown all the 6-month clothes because you are so tall! I prefer the 9-month clothes on you; they look much more comfortable on you. You're outgrowing size 2 diapers; as soon as we finish this package, we're on to size 3. You already wear size 4 overnight diapers. And, we're moving up to level 3 nipples today! You're taking way too long to finish bottles and often lose interest in it before finishing, so we're hoping a level up will help.
-I still love bathing you. It's my most favorite time of day with you!
-I also LOVE your kisses and the way you grab my face.
-While you are quite social, you're beginning to have some stranger anxiety. You like to know Mommy or Daddy is nearby in a new situation. If you are scared of a new person, you "bottom lip it" and start crying.
-Your palms and soles of your feet are still very "sweaty" and clammy feeling. They're very "slimy." Dr. B says this can be very normal for infants, but I'm hoping you outgrow it soon. :(
-Car rides are much much better . . . unless you are tired or hungry. As long as you have a toy to play with, we have made big strides.
Knox Morgan, I cannot wait to see your development this month. I know big things are coming for you! We'll be working on rolling from back to belly and on sitting up. We'll be starting fruits later this month, and I'm hoping you learn how to find and replug your paci yourself soon! In the meantime, I'm so enjoying your beautiful gummy grins, you're eyelashes getting so long, those baby blue eyes lighting up with delight when we play, you're snuggles and nuzzles and cuddles, and those longer stretches of sleep at night! :)
I love you so very much, Baby Love!
Happy 5 Months!
Love,
Mommy
